Kashish Methwani, who was crowned Miss International India 2023, has proved that you don’t have to choose between glamour and grit. After completing 11 months of rigorous training at the Officers Training
Academy (OTA) in Chennai, Kashish became an officer in the Indian Army.
She was commissioned as a Lieutenant during the Passing Out Parade held on September 6, marking the start of her career as an officer.
Meet Kashish Methwani
Born in Pune on January 9, 2001, Kashish holds an MSc in Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University and completed a neuroscience thesis at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. She reportedly received a PhD offer at Harvard University, but she decided to serve her country instead.
When Kashish Methwani was crowned Miss International India 2023, it was clear she had the world at her feet.
But she wasn’t interested in choosing between beauty and brains, glamour and grit. She wanted it all, and she went after it.
A Pune native, she holds an MSc in… pic.twitter.com/Fxu3ghZoVk
— The Better India (@thebetterindia) December 28, 2025
In 2024, Kashish cleared the highly competitive Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam with an All India Rank 2 and joined the Army Air Defence. On September 6, she became the first woman officer in her family and one of the few Miss India winners to join the Indian Army.
Her story proves that “either/or” is a myth. You can have both and more.
Why the Army?
After winning a beauty pageant, she received offers from modelling and acting agencies. However, Methwani saw her pageant win more as an achievement or milestone rather than a long-term career path. She said, “Winning a pageant was always on my bucket list. But I knew the Army was where I belonged.”
“Pageantry was a passion, but never a long-term career,” she added.
Methwani’s Interests Beyond Uniform
Outside her military career, Kashish has pursued a variety of creative and athletic interests. She is trained in Bharatanatyam dance, plays the tabla, is a skilled shooter, participates in quizzes, and even founded an NGO.
Her mother, Shobha Methwan,i said, “Since childhood, she was keen on participating in every competition in school. She used to say, ‘Mujhe sab kuch karna hai (I want to do everything).'”
The Turning Point
Talking about her turning point, she added that her journey changed when she joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC). She was even selected to be part of the NCC’s Republic Day parade and received the Best Cadet Trophy from PM Narendra Modi.
Currently, Kashish is posted in North India with the Army Air Defence which recently played a key role in Operation Sindoor.
Even though her family did not have a military background, they fully supported her choice. Her father is a former scientist who later worked with DGQA (Directorate General of Quality Assurance), and her mother is a schoolteacher.
